The present invention relates generally to the implantation of biomaterial, and is particularly directed to a method and a device that accomplishes the same in a minimally invasive manner. Specifically, the present invention relates to an active agent delivery biomaterial and methods for long-term delivery of a prophylactic or therapeutic agent by implantation of the active agent delivery biomaterial.
Many of the known implantation methods involve the use of a tamping means to drive the implant down a cannula or similar tubular implement into the body. Such tamping involves the use of a pushing tool, such as a rod or wire, which must be inserted into the tubular implement behind the implant to accomplish the tamping. Other possible implantation methods include the extension of a capped second tubular implement down the bore of a first tubular implement inside the body; where the second tubular implement contains the implant and releases the implant when the extension of the second tubular implement reveals an opening in the side of the second tubular implement through which the implant may fall into the body.
The vascular nature of the peritoneal wall is well known in the art. While the art has taught the implantation of materials on or near peritoneal tissue, such teachings have focused on the structural repair or prevention of hernial ruptures. Thus, the art lacks teachings of implantation on or near peritoneal tissue for sustained delivery of materials for non-hernial purposes. While the art has taught the implantation of cell capsules for sustained delivery of neuroactive substances in the central nervous system, such implantation means are relatively inflexible, and their utility is substantially limited to the central nervous system. A relatively inflexible implant would not fully take advantage of the vascular nature of tissue such as peritoneal tissue if implanted on or near such tissue, as a relatively inflexible implant would fail to maximize the surface contact between the implant and the vascular tissue. The maximization of surface-to-surface contact serves to achieve a more efficient, direct exchange of biomaterials between an implant and vascular tissue.
There exists a strong need for the elimination of the undesirable physiological and economic problems associated with long-term drug therapy, while maintaining the advantageous therapeutic properties of the treatment. Due to the risks that certain drugs impose, researchers have developed systems for administering such drugs to aid in the treatment of ailments and diseases. The systems have been designed largely to reduce and to control the release rate of incorporated drugs. However, these systems fail to achieve the surprising and unexpected results obtained by the present invention.
Thus, there exists a need for a minimally invasive method to place and maintain a relatively flexible implant within the body, substantially adjacent to vascular tissue, and an implant device capable of sustained delivery of therapeutic or prophylactic materials or other active agents.